Taxi Driver Online

I'm a little perturbed at the impression I'm getting from some of the comments on the site (not just this thread) about an unwillingness to go out and serve the public and, consequently, make some money.

We are professional drivers, FFS, and should know ourselves and our vehicles to a very much higher standard than the average road user. IMHO, that means being able to read the road well enough to see that the idiot in view has no control of his vehicle.

We should be able to make safe progress regardless of the conditions. We should also be able to assess the likelihood of making a successful pick-up at the front door or opt to phone the customer and ask them to meet us at the end of the road.

We should be discussing with the customer in the car the options available for getting them as close as possible to their intended destination or, indeed, alternative destinations that may achieve the customer's desired objective.

I have driven some 450/500 miles in the worst conditions seen in my local area since the early 1980s. I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of not just getting my passenger to their destination quickly and efficiently but, doing so without any drama, skidding, wheelspinning, etc.

I have had a wonderfully enjoyable and profitable week. Get up off your backsides, learn how to love, cajole and caress your vehicle and get out there and serve your public.


/End of rant!!!!

There are 365 days in the year, not just 4.

You deserve all the money you have earnt, and more, but what happens should another idiot roll into you, or you slip on some ice?

You end up with the car off the road for a week or two, and/or a broken leg.

Then is it worth it?

_________________
IDFIMH

Well I have just returned home after a night of work picking up the ungrateful whom were dressed in completely inappropriate clothing and complaining they were cold. They seemed quite confused as to why there were so few taxis/ph available and even more confused when I couldn't or more to the point wouldn't take my vehicle up the ski slopes they call their road

Anyway I think I deserve a rest now as the concentration required to drive in these conditions is a tad more than normal



I think you might find that false advertising is illegal

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Is it worth it?? Nah is it hell I'd sooner sit in the warm.

Ah but it has to be proved to be false.

_________________
Grandad,

You are missing a point in that during the night there isn't loads of other cars slowing you down or hitting you. Or mass lines of people walking in the bloody road.

At night you can skid a bit, and take slight liberties. During the day that's not an option.

_________________
IDFIMH

I get what you're saying but it doesn't really matter does it, I'm not about to try it out. You appear to have some time on your hands 'go compare' and find out

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

If this is the 'I'm not working because of the weather thread' then I'll join it.

No chance. Not until the snow stops falling. I'm not risking it, and from what I hear from other drivers, Londons dead with very few people making the effort to come into their workplaces.

Next week is another week.

With the amount of work around at the moment it reminds me of a song, "we have all the time in the world."

_________________
Grandad,

It's been a while since I've driven in conditions like this when the cars didn't have traction control, abs, heated windscreens and mirrors but I went out then for the same reason I'm going out now .....it pays the frigging mortgage!

_________________
Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI

Can't really argue with that, and I suspect many drivers who haven't worked this last week will be financially in the poo.

But a decision has to be taken, some work like a slave, and some decide to protect their asset.

_________________
IDFIMH

But, it's also tremendous fun.

No doubt, within the next week or so, we'll have the usual doom merchants complaining about how quiet business is!!!

As far as 'working like a slave' is concerned, I have worked my normal hours: Normal day on Tuesday, subject to fighting my way home through the gridlock; Day off on Wednesday, but pre-planned overnight duty car so didn't work on Thursday during the day; Normal working Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I haven't seen a rank all week and driven 826 miles, of which 672 was since the snow came down.

I appreciate that the topography of this area may not be as challenging as that which our friends in other regions have to deal with but, as a professional, I saw it as my duty to get out, serve my customers and provide my office colleagues with the resources they need to do their job. Just please, don't anybody who hasn't at least attempted to work come on here whinging about how dead the trade is. You had your chance; You blew it!!

/Rant (2) over

Yes, I believe that I qualify under your rule...as someone who has "ploughed on" (sorry!) and tried to do what needed to be done. I weighed up all the "pros and cons" and made a personal choice. Fortunately, my vehicle and I are still intact.

However....I've seen several incidents, crashes etc, some of which involved people who were innocent victims...not so much of the conditions...but of other total f***wits who did not drive in accordance with the conditions.

It doesn't matter how professional we might think that we are... or even actually be... there's a level of risk at such times that is completely out of our control. We can only minimise such risk, not eliminate it completely.

So...to return to my first paragraph...it's about personal choice and it's not for any of us to criticise others for choosing not to risk an expensive tool of the trade...or their own safety by driving in such conditions. You're other point is also correct, that some areas may have had far more treacherous driving conditions than others, so it makes it even more important for us not to judge others.

I totally accept that we don't want to listen to someone bleating on about "hard times", "no money" etc, if they've been too lazy to work when the work was there, but I do not agree that laziness is the key factor at times such as we are experiencing currently. I also don't particularly agree that anyone has really been doing such complaining anyway...yet at least!!

I agree that there are risks to be balanced and, consequently, minimised. But, alongside the rights there are the duties owed to others who rely upon us. Such persons will not come back to me if others have given them a better service during their times of greatest need.

I cant believe the amount of idiots that drive around with the snow inches deep on their roof! Must be a badge of honour or something

Saw one at the local Morrisons she braked the snow on her roof slid onto her windscreen and she piled into the car in front! She couldn't work out why her wipers didn't shift the 4 inches of ice that had just covered her screen

_________________
Life? Don't talk to me about life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjm2eslm6hI